them into our society first. Kinda like moving in together. Sometimes it's an 'accident,' like with Theo."
"Not many who are attacked live through it," Seth admitted. "Most wolves are very careful to finish the fights they pick with humans. Animal attacks, you know."
"And now Damon is scouting humans?" I asked, trying to put all the pieces together. "Is this because of what Mason was ranting about?"
"Makes sense," Nik said. "The idea of werewolves was put in people's heads for just a moment, then disproven. But in those few days, some thought it would be the coolest thing ever. Damon clearly knows about that, since he's been holding it over Ian's head. Maybe he heard a few people talking? Or figured out some way to talk guys into it?"
I was just nodding slowly, letting all of that sink in. "And a lot of them," I breathed. "Anyone know how many accidents there've been on the roads in that area where someone hit a wolf?"
Samantha grabbed her tablet and began typing. The rest of us just waited while her brow furrowed, her mouth fell open. Then she gasped. "Oh, that's not good," she breathed.
"What?" I demanded.
"Damon was saying there've been hunters shooting at his pack, right? That's why he says he deserves reparations?" And she turned her tablet toward us. "The red dots are wolf sightings. The orange ones are livestock killed by them. The black ones are the ones hit on the road." Then she dropped her tablet back on her lap. "Guys, those farmers, or ranchers, or whatever they are, outside of town? Yeah, they're not shooting wolves because we were on the news. They're shooting them because there's been an explosion of them."
"You sure?" Ian asked.
"Listen to this," she said, and started reading. "Last year we had a rabbit problem. This year, it's wolves. Are any of you really shocked at how many adults are out there? I lost a calf to a pack. Now, I'm shooting any of them I see. Got motion lights and my gun by the back door. Endangered, my ass." She looked up. "It's on a Facebook group for the area."
"That means he's turning them and keeping the ones who make it," Seth breathed.
"How many black dots?" I asked. "Sam? How many people have they killed because Damon wants his army?"
"One hundred and thirty-seven," she breathed. "Those are just the ones that this group knows about. How many wolves got hit and the car didn't stop? How many ran away only to die later?"
"And if even half survived," Ian realized, "that's a lot of new wolves with no idea what's going on. Some of those guys are going to be pumped up on their new strength and senses..."
"And they won't know not to be seen as lycans," Lane added. "He wants to expose us."
"He wants to see us take the fall," Gabby corrected. "The finger was pointed at us once. If werewolves are seen here again, and caught on tape by someone who isn't tied to our pack? Then what? Sam can't do that again! It won't work twice!"
"And we need to get those boys," I decided.
"We can't," Ian said.
I just turned to face him. "That boy is still in high school, Ian. The other one? He's probably Sheridan's age, at best. They're barely more than kids, and they're going to die if we don't help them. You made sure I knew all about the risks of turning outside the walls. I got horror stories about people being hit by cars. Even Bridget said it! So we need to figure out how the fuck we're getting those kids out. They didn't ask for this, and I will not just stand here and pretend like I didn't see that."
He leaned in. "I can't go onto Damon's territory, Elena. If I do, I'd better challenge him. If his pack is made of converts? What are the chances that they're going to join in? Or stop me if I run? They don't know how this works!"
I licked my lips. "What about me?"
"No." That was from Lane.
I just lifted my hand, begging him to wait. "What about me, Ian. If I went there, what would Damon do? Say, I tell him I'm there to deliver a message?"
Ian just caught my chin. "No." He sounded just like Lane.
"What would he say?" I demanded.
It was Seth who answered. "He'd hear you out, probably give you a time limit so he could laugh as you ran, and then he'd chase."
Nik just